Thought You Should Know
by schaefy
Summary: Steph had a little too much to drink last night and she has to bring in a skip while having a hangover. Put Batman and pouring rain into the mix leaves a very interesting day for Stephanie Plum, the Bombshell Bounty Hunter. Humour-- I promise! Schaefy
1. Chapter 1

Thought I'd write something now—I just feel like it at the moment

Thought I'd write something now—I just feel like it at the moment. Song is "Thankyou" by Dido, from the album "No Angel"—Great album I really recommend it if you like slow type songs.

This is a fic I've been meaning to write for a while now—couple of months, and at the moment my muse seems to have abandoned me with my other stories. So instead of finishing them, I wrote this on a rainy Sunday afternoon, when I should've been working. Hmm… Work. Writing. I'm afraid there's no competition—I'm a review whore. Lol. REVIEW DAMMIT!

Hope you like it!

Schaefy

PS: There is more to come.

0 0 0

**Thought You Should Know**

I heard the loud beeping of my alarm clock exploding through my head as I lay asleep in bed. My head began to ache painfully, my eyes still glued together with exhaustion and the alcohol I'd drunk last night. Quickly I raised myself of the bed enough to reach over to my alarm clock, yank the cord from the power point and throw it as hard as I could against the opposite wall. A satisfying crunch of plastic and electronics. I sunk back into my pillow, my whole body aching and my head pounding through the haze of reality. Jesus, I felt like fucking shit.

I woke up a few hours later, my face buried in the pillow, arms over my head as if blocking out the world. Not quite successful in that endeavour. My phone was ringing loudly from my bedside table, its loud, shrill tones reverberating inside my skull. I pried my eyes open groggily and stared at it for a second. Then briefly considered grabbing my gun which was also on the bedside table and shooting the shit out of it. I sighed and moved to answer the phone. It was a gift from Ranger since my last one got incinerated by a particularly mental skip with a flamethrower. Better not shoot it. I sighed and brushed the fuzz of hair from my face, rubbed my eyes and answered the phone.

"Mmm?" I grunted. I wasn't in the mood to put any more dedication into my greeting.

"Steph? Where are you, Vinnie's going spare! Louis Grosman's bond is up today and you need to get him by six'o'clock tonight or we're out of a bond and you're out of a job. Get going woman!"

I groaned and hit my head with my palm. Shit! I'd completely forgotten. Bugger, now my head was aching even more. I checked the time on my watch seeing as my alarm clock was smashed. SHIT! One'o'clock! What the hell had happened to the day?

"I'll be there as soon as I can ok? Later." And I disconnected. I dumped the phone on my bedside table and my head hit the pillow again. I really couldn't give a shit about Grosman, but I really needed money for Christmas presents. I really couldn't handle another year of making cards and Christmas ornaments for everyone. Maybe a little nap would give me the energy to get up?

_I drank too much last night, got bills to pay,_

_My head just feels in pain._

_I missed the bus and there'll be hell today,_

_I'm late for work again_

_And even if I'm there, they'll all imply_

_That I might not last the day_

_And then you call be and it's not so bad,_

_It's not so bad._

I woke up half an hour later. Fuck. Rain was now pounding the windows, running down the panes in great rivulets of water from grey clouds crowding the sky. I could hear the raindrops pinging loudly against the metal fire escape outside my bedroom window, coming down thick and fast. I groaned again. It was the type of day I really just wanted to stay in bed under the covers and sleep, or snuggle up on the couch with hot chocolate and popcorn and watch romantic movies. But Grosman was waiting, along with Connie, Vinnie and Lula. I sighed. The hangover wasn't helping either.

I pulled myself sluggishly out of bed, choosing to ignore the beeping of my phone telling me I had missed calls. Better not to answer those yet. At least not until coffee. Having to make excuses to save my ass was just not fair before coffee.

I shuffled blindly to the shower and stuck my pounding my head under the hot jets, shampooing and conditioning my head, quickly shaving and lathering up in the Bulgari shower gel Ranger had left in my apartment since the Scrog incident. I lent my tired frame against the door of the shower, warm water raining down on my back and smiled slightly as I breathed in the sexy scent which floated around me. It was almost like I felt his presence beside me as I breathed in his unique smell, savouring my emotional closeness to him. Just thinking about him made the whole day seem a little bit better. He was my lifeline, the one person I could always count on to help me up when I was down, to kiss me till I was better and hold me until I was ready to stand on my own two feet again. He was my friend, my lover, my confidante. He was perfect.

Quickly I washed off the gel, leaving the scent still lingering about me, got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around myself, pulling my hair into a messy bun and forgoing make up. My head was still pounding heavily and I wasn't sure it was entirely safe for me to hold a mascara wand next to my eye at the moment.

I shuffled back to my bedroom feeling marginally better, pulled on a pair of loose jeans, a stretchy long sleeved top and my thickest sweatshirt with "HURLEY" emblazoned on the front. The only shortcoming being that it was a cream colour, and it was raining. Rain makes mud. Mud makes mess. Especially on cream sweatshirts. I'd just have to be extra careful. Eh, who am I kidding. I better get extra washing powder.

_My Tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why_

_I got out of bed at all_

_The morning rain clouds up my window_

_And I can't see at all._

_And even if I could it'd all be grey,_

_But your picture on my wall_

_It reminds me that it's not so bad,_

_It's not so bad._

I brushed my wet fringe out of my face; grabbed my keys, phone, gun (with bullets for once), cuffs and stun gun and dragged myself out the door, my unlaced CAT boots flopping loosely on my feet. I slouched along the corridor and pressed the call button for the elevator, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and hoping the Advil I'd taken a while ago would kick in soon. I had a whopper of a headache. My head throbbed angrily as the elevator pinged and the doors slid open to reveal a very flustered looking Mrs Bestler… and a tall muscular figure dressed all in black. Mrs Bestler hurried quickly out of the elevator giving me a knowing smile and quickly stumbled toward her apartment. I shuddered mentally. Grandma and sex was bad enough, but Mrs Bestler? Ugghh..

I shook myself back to reality as the figure smiled slightly, gripped the front of my sweatshirt and pulled me into the elevator.

"Earth to Steph?" Ranger grinned down at me as he continued pulling me toward him, plastering me to his chest and full on smiling now.

"I'm amusing you again aren't I?" I sighed. He gave me his breathtaking 200 watt smile and brushed his lips against mine in a short, tender kiss. Suddenly, all my troubles melted away. My headache was gone, I couldn't care less about Grosman or my job or what Vinnie was going to say when I finally got back to the office. I couldn't give a damn what my mother or the rest of the Burg thought or whether Morelli was doing Terri Gilman. Under his mouth the world was perfect, and life was good. I relaxed and, in a sudden moment of madness, took charge and deepened the kiss. I felt Ranger smile slightly as he squeezed me in his arms for a second, amused but appreciative of what I'd done. I felt his fingers pull the hair tie out of my wet hair and brush his fingers through it as his tongue traced my lips, before softly probing into my mouth. His hands slid down my back and gently under my sweatshirt, settling on my bare hips. Then the elevator pinged. We broke the kiss and I straightened my sweatshirt, pushing my wet hair out of my eyes, Ranger leaning calmly against the wall as the doors opened, watching amused as I tried to cover up what we'd done.

He gently took my hand and led me out into the foyer, still smiling slightly and pulled me through the rain to the waiting Turbo, parked outside the front door. He opened the door for me and shut it quickly before I got soaked, walked calmly around the car, opened his door and angling into the seat. For once, I didn't mind that he hadn't asked me to come with him. Today I really needed someone to lean on, to feel relaxed and comfortable and not have to worry about anything. Like Grosman, Vinnie, My mother and the Burg. Luckily, my personal Batman was like Kryptonite to all of them. I was only too happy to have him by my side today.

"Where're we going?" I said quietly as Ranger pulled out of the lot and reached over to hold my hand. He looked at me and smiled, as my stomach gave a loud grumble. I felt colour rising in my cheeks. So sue me?!, I hadn't eaten since yesterday. His grin widened as he squeezed my hand and turned back to the road.

"To feed the beast."

0 0 0

We drove through the backstreets of Trenton; the Turbo's engine humming softly around us as Rangers fingers caressed mine thoughtfully. I leaned my head back against the head rest, closing my eyes and relaxing. It was nice to pass the reins to someone else for a while. To give someone else the responsibility, to stop being an adult for a while. I mean, life is simple when you're a kid. All you have to worry about is whether you've done your French project, or that your teacher will get mad because your Mum didn't sign your diary to say you'd done your homework. But as we grow older the world seems to take it upon itself to bring us down to reality. The cold harsh truth. That there is no Happily Ever After, and Cinderella never did meet Prince Charming… or whatever his name was. Dreams don't come true, and sometimes things don't go the way you want them to. People get sick and die, you get fired or can't pay your rent. The dog ran away again or the crazy lady next door broke your flower pot. You have a bad day once in a while. I've been having quite a few of those lately, and for once, it was nice just to let go of adulthood and it's … disadvantages.

I fell into a light doze for a while, relaxed and totally at ease for the first time in days. I must have dozed for longer than I thought because I realised we had stopped moving. I was woken by the feel of feather light kisses on my jaw. His mouth moved to tug slightly on my earlobe, blowing on the place where his teeth had pressured my skin, sending shivers down my spine.

"I could get used to waking up like this." I said, smiling lazily, eyes closed. Maybe adulthood wasn't so bad after all. Maybe there really was a Prince Charming for me. Well, you never know…

I heard a deep growl and his lips came crashing down on mine, his hands quickly unbuckling my seatbelt and pulling me across the centre console onto his lap. His tongue slipped into my mouth, battling for control with my own making me warm in all the right places. Ranger's arms tightened around my waist as he kissed me still harder, passionate and sensual. Then suddenly he relaxed, his mouth no longer applying pressure, but again laying feather light kisses across my face. I closed my eyes with a smile as he continued, still sitting on his lap my legs on the passenger seat, and leaned against his chest, my head snuggled up to his neck breathing in his smell. I could feel the soft rumble in his chest that meant he was laughing and swatted his chest, closing my eyes and putting my hand on his shoulder, hugging him closer.

"Yep, I could definitely get used to waking up like this." I concluded. I heard a small chuckle and the door beside me opened, letting in a soft breeze of chilly air into the interior of the car. I moaned slightly and snuggled up to him tighter. Unh. It's cold. His strong arms circled me and I felt him slide out of the car, carrying me against his chest. The rain had lessened to a light mist floating around us as he locked the car and started walking. I tried to poke my head up to have a look where we were but I felt Rangers chest shake with laughter, and his gentle hand pull my head back into his chest, effectively blocking my view of … well, wherever we were.

"It's a surprise Babe." He said, and I could almost hear the smile in his voice.

"I don't like surprises. People do mean things to me. Like throw me in puddles. You're not going to throw me into a puddle are you?" There was a pause. Then Ranger's rich laughter filled the air as he stood stock still, hugging me tighter to his chest. It was a beautiful sound, full and musical, as if he really was amused. I hadn't heard it very often, but I immediately loved it.

"Only you Babe." He said, still chuckling, and kissed me on the forehead. I blushed and stuck my face in his chest. Unh, mental head slap?! He carried me up some stairs, then let my feet gently to the ground, quickly turning me to face him so I couldn't see anything. Damn! Foiled again. Ranger looked as though he knew what I was thinking again and grinned, kissing me softly on the lips in a small show of tenderness then pulling me into a hug, my head tucked into his neck.

"Now mi amor, I have a surprise for you. You can turn around now." Ranger's mouth curved into a small smile, his eyes full of the emotion that had been denied them for so long. Happiness, love, tenderness all present in that moment, hope too swirling in his expression. I turned around slowly on the spot, not quite sure what to expect. I froze.

"Oh my God." I whispered, Rangers arms encircling me from behind, pulling me back against his warm body. In front of me stood the most beautiful house I had ever seen. It was a dark chiselled stone single story, sprawling over a low hill. The windows stretched over large parts of the walls, dark wooded frames arching over the small sills. The front door was a large double door, a beautiful oak grain, intricately carved around the edges but plain in the middle. The doors stood open to an interior which astounded me.

"Oh my God…" I said again and I felt Ranger chuckle beside me, before gently pushing me inside. The floor and walls were the rough exposed stone like the outside, but flatter and softer than the sharper angles outside. There was a raised walkway around the three sides of the room, dark wooded bookshelves lining the walls it passed, filled with dusty novels and old, antique looking books. A small statue or ornament sat here or there on the shelves, an old brass navigational instrument or an aged framed map of the world, yellowed and torn around the edges. In the centre of the room was a sunken floor, a large decorative red rug lying over the middle of the floor, two couches and a few scattered armchairs lying here and there. A low wooden coffee table stood in the middle of them all, a few books lying scattered on top, an empty coffee mug placed haphazardly next to them. There was dim glow around the room coming from what looked like floor lighting, sunken into the ridge of glass running alongside the walkway around the edge of the room adding to the rustic, homey feel the place had to it. A large welcoming fire was burning in a grate along the one wall, casting a flickering glow over the living area, the warmth washing over me as I stood there in Rangers arms.

"This is…" I trailed off, my eyes the size of dinner plates as I stared around the beautiful home. I felt Rangers silent chuckle next to me, and his arms tightened for a fraction of a second.

"Yes. This is the Batcave." I slowly turned to face him in his arms, so shocked I had lost all cognitive function. As soon as I saw his face, I saw that his mask had disappeared. His smile stretched over his face lighting up the whole room, his eyes so full of emotion I felt my heart skip with pleasant shock. He was… joyful and happy and not the badass guy he made himself out to be. He was Batman off the air—on vacation if you like. He was human, like the rest of us. He felt happy, he felt sad, he had bad days, he didn't sleep well sometimes. He cared. He lived.

And in that moment, that was the most important thing.

Hell, what did I know?

Maybe Cinderella did meet Prince Charming?


	2. Chapter 2

Stephanie

_Stephanie_

I was sitting on a high dark wood stool at the marble island in the middle of Ranger's kitchen. It was a nicely sized room, not too big or too small, adjoining the living room through a large arch at the end. It was the same rough stone on the walls, but the floor was a highly polished dark wood, a few carpets and rugs scattered over the floor at intervals. Another huge bare stone fireplace stood slightly away from the kitchen area, opposite an informal dining table of the same dark wood throughout the house. At the far end of the room was the kitchen area, benches lining the three walls and jutting out into the room to form a serving area leaving room for a pantry and storage area, double sink and cook top. All stainless steel of course. The surfaces were a dark marble, black with streaks and twists of white spreading over the surface.

A beautiful exotic smell permeated the room, a mix of the most beautiful spices, chillies, and the chicken he was stirring in a pan at the cook top. It was quite mesmerising watching him cook, his toned muscles twisting and rippling under his skin as the performed some seemingly trivial domestic task like chopping chillies. He was completely engrossed in his work and I watched him in an easy, awed silence, occasionally asking what he was doing, or adding, and why. He would patiently answer each question with a soft smile, amusement and affection in his eyes as he looked at me, as if he were quite enjoying the experience.

Soft jazz pulsed from hidden speakers around the room, the gentle tone of the sax becoming almost a rhythm for the sounds and heavenly smells of frying permeating the room from the cook top across from me. I propped my head up on my arm leaning on the bench top as Ranger came over to begin chopping some undistinguishable spice and expertly tossed it into the pan across the counter from him.

"How do you do that?" I asked as he did it again, flipping some green leaves into the mix. Without missing a beat he glanced up at my curious stare, in the middle of crushing a clove of garlic under his knife.

"What Babe?" He didn't even notice.

It was almost like a dance the way he cooked. With such ease, grace and skill, each movement measured and executed with perfect precision as with everything in his life. The way he moved through the motions of something so obviously familiar to him with such concealed passion and confidence was incredibly alluring. It made me want to find out about him, to know him, this hidden Domestic Ranger I had completely missed in my years of knowing him. If he had hidden this from me, such a simple yet pivotal skill, what else was he hiding from me that I should know?

I stared on at him, for a moment or two longer, considering my answer.

"That," I waved my hand in his general direction, "How do you do it?"

He looked up at me again, a soft smile on his face, his right eyebrow slightly quirked. What?

I gestured wordlessly at him, trying to find the words.

"How do you… how do you cook with such ease and passion? For me, for everyone I know, it's just something you do. You follow recipes and cook because you have to. But you, you cook with a real spark, like you really love and enjoy it. How do you do it?"

"Simply."

It's official. Ranger could do anything without beating an eyelash or breaking a sweat, although, I wouldn't mind seeing that perfectly sculpted body of his wet sometime soon...

He smiled at me again, fully this time. It was the most beautiful thing because it wasn't because he was laughing at me or amused, it was because... of something I saw under his relaxed mask. He was smiling at me because he loved me.

He put down the knife he was holding, reached over the counter top and gently grasped my chin with a finger and thumb, pulling it close to his face. Everything was erased from my mind as I felt the soft skin of his lips _just_ _brush_ mine, then the breath on my face as he held my face close to his. I opened my eyes which had fallen shut, seeing their chocolate brown counterparts only inches away, staring back with such affection and love I could barely believe. It was as if his mask had relaxed while he was here and he was letting me into the heart of the man of mystery. And I was loving it.

"Babe..." he said quietly, so close his lips brushed mine as he spoke, "There are some things in life I adore. And with those I share the passion I conceal from most. I am a man like any other, I love, I fear, I hurt. There are few things I truly love and you, Steph, you are one of them."

I felt a thrill of something through my heart as I stared silently back into his eyes, their chocolate brown depths enthralling me with the emotion swirling through them. Then I leant forward and his lips met mine in the sweetest kiss, his lips caressing mine so softly they were almost insubstantial. It was the most tender and passionate kiss I had ever shared with anyone and I treasured each moment. He had told me he had loved me. My heart skipped a beat and I relaxed into his arms as he moved around the bench and he gently embraced me, pulling me close into his warm chest. That was what made this kiss different I suppose. That was the rich, writhing spice that I could feel deep inside my chest, sending tendrils of excitement shooting along my limbs. He loved me.

His lips left mine as gently as they had touched them, his face still so close I could feel the warmth of his skin seeping into mine. I opened my eyes again only to see his staring into mine, the mask completely gone. Such love was written over his face, affection, caring and passion I would not have believed had someone told me. Ranger didn't show this much emotion, he never knew such passionate love. I felt a small smile curve my lips as I stared back into his loving eyes.

"Where is Ranger and what have you done with him?"

He smiled at me again like the sun smiles upon the earth, his lips brushing mine in a sweet kiss before moving away again.

"Carlos, Babe. Today, it's just Carlos."

We sat down at the table five minutes later, Carlos having placed some of the mix of nuts, beans, spices and chillies into two square shaped bowls and placing them on the table along with two forks and placemats. I breathed in deeply with eyes closed, smiling appreciatively as the bittersweet scent of the dish reached my nose, and I let out a small moan of pleasure as I lowered myself into my seat. I opened my eyes dreamily to find Carlos' eyes darkened and his expression hungry for something that wasn't lunch. His hand reached out and pulled my head gently so it was resting against his neck, his lips lacing small kisses around the shell of my ear. A flare of heat shot through my body like wildfire, an electricity such as I had never known bolting through my veins.

"Amor, if you keep making those sounds I swear I will not be responsible for my actions." He whispered sexily in my ear, his fingertips lightly travelling down my outstretched neck and under my chin until he gently lifted my eyes to meet his. A shiver went down my spine as I saw the sensuality and passion in his eyes. A small smile lit his face as he gently chucked my chin and held up a fork full of whatever it was he had cooked.

"Open." He said.

I did so, and he gently slid the forkful of what looked a little like a Cuban stir-fry into my mouth. I chewed silently and I felt my eyes flutter shut as a heavenly array of tastes exploded in my mouth, a rich but gentle mix of sweet and sour, crisp and soft. It was the best I had ever tasted. I opened my eyes again to see his darkened ones staring back at me once again, a sensual quality to his gaze as he half-smiled at my response.

"I think this one might even top birthday cake" I said breathily, my mind hazy with the amazing tastes I had just been met by.

His smile lit the room as his eyes flashed amusement and he fed me another bite, watching as I chewed and swallowed again, eyes darkening with every moment that passed.

"When I was a little boy I got into a lot of trouble many times. The penalty was spending days enclosed in the house with my mother, who was forever cooking for the hundreds of people who would pass through each day. I would help her each time and I spent so much time in there with her it became our special time together. She taught me to love cooking, to love the flavours and sensations it causes. She taught me the passion for life she possessed all her life and to this day I still envy."

I just looked at him for a second, thoughtfully. Carlos as a boy… I could hardly imagine it. To me he would always be the big, bad bounty hunter; the man I loved. But then there was this whole other side of him I had never known… I smiled at him, thanking him for sharing something so close to his heart with me. It was an amazing experience to learn something about him that was obviously special to him, and it made me feel so much closer to him.

"I think I've died and gone to heaven." I pronounced, feeding Carlos a forkful of stir-fry and watching his expression with my own half-smile. It was the most sensual experience I had ever had, eating with Carlos.

And I fell in love with it at once.

We had just finished the meal in an expressive but comfortable silence and Carlos was leaning back in his chair, relaxing with his hands behind his head. I smiled back at him, feeling more relaxed and at ease with the world than I had done since… since… well… ever. I was just closing my eyes to lie back for a moment when a thought hit me like a bolt of lightning, causing me to jerk awake, eyes wide and sitting up straight in my chair. Carlos jerked up also, his eyes immediately alert and body rigid, looking for an attacker. Seeing none he looked back at me with a questioning expression.

"Babe? What's up?"

I looked at the clock above the kitchen, carved into the wall with hands protruding from the centre. 3:56pm.

"Shit!' I said, jumping up from the table and causing my chair to knock back also. Ranger stood immediately, his eyes again scanning the room for an intruder or threat, trying to find out what on earth was going on.

"Carlos! Grosman! Louis Grosman! His bond is due in two hours and I have no idea where he is! Vinnie's gonna kill me!" I said, my panicked voice filling the void of silence that had been sustained for some time. I saw Carlos visibly relax, the tension flowing from his torso as he realised there was no physical threat. Then a smile cracked his face. He grinned at me. The bastard grinned. His rich laughter filled the room, and his face lit up, pulling me close without a moment's hesitation and tucking me beneath his neck.

"Babe, don't scare me like that! I'll come and help you find Grosman. I've heard of him, used to be a regular for Vinnie. He's a piece of work but I know where to find him." He smiled down at my slightly less panicked face and his grin widened, before grabbing my hand and leading me toward the front door.

"You're a fun date Babe."

I cringed internally. I was amusing him again.

Damn, I really had to stop doing that.

He helped me into the Turbo and shut the door, sliding in next to me in the driver's seat before turning on the engine and angling out onto a long gravel drive, leading to a large wrought iron gate at the end. Carlos punched in a series of codes and pushed his third finger of his right hand into a gel pad at the gates and they swung open of their own accord.

We traversed a few dirt and isolated roads for about fifteen minutes before turning left onto the highway from a sheltered road, and speeding along it in sleek efficiency, the Porsche's engine rumbling softly beneath us as we drove. I could see Carlos settling into his "zone" but I had a few questions I wanted to ask him, to try and find out something about the man of mystery.

"Carlos, I noticed a telescope standing in your kitchen. What's it there for?"

I had noticed the ancient looking golden telescope standing next to another book case in the kitchen, spotted and scratched with age, giving it a sort of well-loved look. It was really very beautiful in a rustic sort of way.

He smiled at me for a moment, giving me a thoughtful glance before turning his eyes back to the road.

"When I was little my father and I used to stargaze on the roof of my parents house in Trenton. We would go out every night without fail to spend some time together before he left for another mission. He was a SEAL."

I nodded quietly, thinking for a moment. Then,

"I didn't know there were stars in Jersey?"

His hand reached across and grasped mine firmly, his laughter reverberating around the inside of the car, his amusement lighting the very world in which we lived.

"You know Babe, we never saw any." He replied, still chuckling, squeezing my hand as he settled back into his seat, his face still stretched wide into his 200 watt smile. He glanced at me for a moment, amusement still clear in his eyes before chucking my chin slightly and grinning wider.

"You _are_ a fun date Babe." He smiled.

And I smiled too.

His laughter made the sun shine and the world go around.

Thanks to my Beta Lady Constantine for the telescope idea—loved it!

Schaefy


	3. Chapter 3

_Stephanie_

My full stomach, comfy clothes and the buttery leather seats of the Porsche made quick work of lulling me to sleep, my head tucked into the headrest and Carlos' warm hand encasing my own. The next time I woke up the Porsche's engine was quiet and Carlos was gently stroking my hair, my head leaning into his chest across the console.

"Babe, we're here." He silently studied me for a second, his eyes travelling over my tired eyes and messy ponytail, to my jeans and baggy sweatshirt. A look of loving resignation crossed his face as he looked at me, his face breaking into a grin.

"You sure you're up to this Babe? I can just go and grab him now, he's two houses down."

"Nah, it's—"

Carlos' cell rang.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, fists clenching involuntarily. Wow, Batman was counting to ten! He really was human! His face suddenly broke into his 200 watt grin again and he looked bemusedly down at me.

"What, did you think I was from Neptune or something?"

I sent him a sly grin.

"Mars actually." I said.

Holy crap, he joked too!

His laughter rang out across the street and the woman spying on us in the house next door fainted from behind her net curtains.

"Jesus Carlos, you're killing the local wildlife!"

He grinned again and ruffled my hair, flipping open his cell at the same time.

"Talk."

A voice spoke for a few seconds on the other end of the line as Carlos' face changed from amusement to resignation again. I could see him holding back a sigh.

"Send an SUV to my coordinates. Tell Tank and a team to meet me there. Get some gear and an overnight surveillance Bronco out there too."

And he clicked his phone shut.

"Babe, there's been a break in at one of our important accounts and I need to go and check things out. Are you ok for a bit here?"

I nodded; disappointed he had to leave so soon. He half-smiled at me and tucked a stray curl behind my ear, his fingers tracing down my cheek and cradling my neck. A black SUV pulled up to the curb beside us and I sighed.

"I'll drop by later Babe. I'll leave you the Porsche, ok? Try not to explode anything while I'm gone." He smiled for a second, pulling me into a warm hug and kissing the top of my head. "Love you."

I smiled at him as we pulled apart and he gave my hand a gentle squeeze as he let go. He turned just as he opened the SUV.

"Remember, two doors that way." He pointed "And if you have any trouble, I'm on my cell."

I nodded again, and the SUV pulled away from the curb, leaving me alone on the sidewalk.

_The more I see you,_

_The more I want you._

_Somehow this feeling_

_Just grows and grows._

_With every sigh_

_I become more mad for you,_

_And so it goes._

_Can you imagine_

_How much I'll love you_

_The more I see you_

_As years go by?_

_I know the only one for me_

_Can only be you._

_My arms won't free you;_

_My heart won't try._

I touched my lips gently to his in a sweet farewell, and his expression told me it was all he could do to stop himself grabbing me and never letting go. I smiled at his perfect face, my fingertips trailing down his rough cheek.

"Call me when you're done Carlos. I'll be waiting."

He looked slightly guilty as he remembered the years he had deliberated with his feelings, the years I had faithfully stayed by his side, hoping that someday he'd realise that we were meant to be.

"Forever and ever. Don't ever forget that."

_I want to thank you_

_For giving me the best day of my life_

_Oh just to be with you_

_Is having the best day of my life_

0 0 0

I sighed as I watched the Turbo glide away with a low rumble, and the flash of Ranger's sunglasses as he turned back to look at me. I stood there on the pavement and waved at him as he accelerated around the corner, listening as the rumble of the engine slowly faded into the distance.

Unh. It was still raining. I still had a hangover. I was still half asleep. And I still had to catch this fucking skip.

Unnnnh.

My level of disinterest was at an all time high.

I trudged two doors down, stuck my gun down the back of my jeans and knocked on the door. I was in no mood for any shit from Grosman today. I just wanted to get back to Carlos. Or bed. Preferably both.

Grosman opened the door, yawning and scratching his belly. Ugh, nasty sight.

"Mr Grosman, I represent you Bond's Office, you—" and he was off. He pushed past me and sprinted off across the road, heading for a dirt alley.

"Oh come on, do we have to go through this! I'm really, really, _really not in the mood!_" I yelled after him. He gave me the finger. That was it. I was tired, hung over, could feel my headache coming back _and_ I was being denied Carlos. I was pissed. I pulled out my gun, flicked off the safety and raced after him, glad I had decided to lace my boots when we left Carlos' house.

I ran through the alleyway, splattering mud everywhere as Grosman raced along ahead of me, slipping and sliding in the ankle deep mud. I saw a chain link fence up ahead. Perfect! I could trap him.

I raised my gun in anticipation, waiting for the moment when he would stop and face me. But he didn't. He just scaled it and continued running on the other side. Damn. I really hated it when they could do shit like that. It meant I had to do it too.

I stuck my gun back in my jeans and made a running jump for the fence, scrambling up to the top until my jeans caught on the wire and I tipped headfirst over, opening a huge gash on my thigh and landing in a pile of trash on the other side. This really wasn't my day.

Ignoring the blood spreading along the twelve inch tear in my jeans I jumped up again, seeing that Grosman had begun to slow, his fat belly undoubtedly catching up with him. I could hear him puffing and wheezing as I sprinted towards him and caught him in a wicked slide tackle, pulling him to the ground and snapping the cuffs on him before he could get away again.

"YEAH!" I punched the air. That was hell cool! Why couldn't people watch when I did cool shit?

Grosman was rolling around on the ground like a beached whale, trying to stand up on his piggy little legs again. I snorted. He looked a little ridiculous. Of course by now I was covered in mud from slide tackling him, blood from my leg and soaking wet from the rain.

I sighed and pulled out my phone.

"Eddie, I need a hand. I have a skip twice the size of me, and I need to go and get some stitches . Can you come help?"

I could almost hear Gazarra smiling over the line.

"Sure, I'll be there in a few."

0 0 0

Half an hour later Grosman was back in jail and I had my body receipt and a lot of stitched in my leg. A small crowd had gathered around the scene, watching the police and EMTs do their thing. Eddie came over just as the EMTs drove out, surveying the scene with a 'Now-I've –seen-it-all' look.

"You need a lift home?"

"Nah, just to the next street. Ca--, I mean Ranger left me a car."

He nodded knowingly at me. Why do people keep doing that!

0 0 0

Fifteen minutes later I unlocked my apartment door, closed and locked it and sank to the floor.

I was beyond tired. I was covered in mud, still soaking wet and my leg was killing me. But I couldn't be bothered to get into the shower. I couldn't even be bothered to get to the couch. Hmm, maybe I should just sleep here tonight. It wouldn't be so bad you know? Hell, I slept on the floor all the time in my college days, why couldn't I do it now?

My eyes were drifting shut when a strong pair of mocha latte hands hoisted me upright.

"Whoever you are, I hate you." I said. I just wanted to sleep.

I heard Carlos' chuckle as he sat me down on the toilet seat and helped me peel off my wet clothes and step into the warm shower.

_Push the door, I'm home at last_

_And I'm soaking through and through_

_Then you hand me a towel and all I see is you_

_And even when my house falls down,_

_I wouldn't have a clue_

_Because you're near me and—_

His gentle hands washed the mud from my hair, lathering his shower gel over my arms and legs, the wonderful scent of him permeating the room. It was pure heaven; drifting in the state between consciousness and sleep, the only thing I could sense being his soft hands tenderly washing my body and the smell of him.

I felt him wrap a warm towel around me and dress me in a pair of sweats and a loose skivvy before guiding me to my bed, and lying down next to me. I smiled as I snuggled into his warm body, his strong arms cocooning me from everything else. I nestled my face into his neck, sniffing his unique scent and melting inside.

"Carlos," I murmured.

"Mmm."

"It was perfect. All of it."

I felt him smile and kiss my on the forehead.

"Now sleep, mi Amor. I will be here when you wake. I will not leave you again."

And with that comforting thought, I drifted into unconsciousness, relaxed in the knowledge that he was right there by my side.

_I want to thank you_

_For giving me the best day of my life._

_Oh just to be with you _

_Is having the best day of my life._

0 0 0

Hi all,

Hope you enjoyed the rest of the story as much as I did writing it, tell me what you think!

The songs I used were "Thank You" by Dido and "The More I See You" written by Harry Warren and sung by a number of jazz singers.

Please review!

Thanks,

Schaefy


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